Weeding tool



Jan. 13, 1959- J. DE LUE 2,868,503

WEEDING TOOL Filed Sept. 2a, 1956 I nvwzzvron. JEZd/Vfi 0 1.05

ATTOZA/EYS United States Patent WEEDING TOOL Jerome De Lue, Detroit, Mich.

Application September 28, 1956, Serial No. 612,796

2 Claims. (Cl. 254-132) This invention relates to an'improved garden weeding tool of the type having a skid and a levered blade pivoted thereon.

The primary object of invention is to provide a more practical and efficient device of this kind which is simple in construction and involves a minimum number of simple parts which can be easily assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character indicated which can be readily and economically manufactured, is easily used, and is highly satisfactory, practical and acceptable for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a weeding tool in accordance with the invention, showing in phantom lines an operated position of the blade;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view taken from line 22 of Figure 1, a portion of the handle of the blade being broken away; and

Figure 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the illustrated garden weeding tool, indicated generally at 10, comprises longitudinally elongated flat skid plate 12 having a straight transverse rear edge 34, a top surface 18, a bottom surface 20, straight parallel rear side edge portions 16, forwardly tapering forward side edge portions 22, and a forward end 24. Opening through the forward end 24 is a longitudinally elongated centered slot 26. The blank from which the skid plate 12 is formed is longitudinally slitted from its rear end 34, as indicated at 30, at points laterally outwardly of and parallel to the side edges of the slot 26, and the material between the slits 30 and the side edges of the slot 26 anda portion of the rear end of the plate are bent upwardly at a rearward inclination, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, to define an inverted U-shaped abutment or stop 28 having a bight portion 40 and depending legs 36.

Portions of the plate 12 and portions of the lower ends of the legs 36 at the juncture thereof are upstanding substantially semi-circular journal loops 42.

The tool further comprises a blade assembly 14 which comprises a flat longitudinally elongated blade 56, slightly narrower than the slot 26 and positioned therein forwardly of the journal loops 42, and reaching slightly forwardly of the forward end 24 of the skid plate 12, and a rearwardly extending fiat lever 62 which is upwardly and rearwardly angulated relative to the blade 56 at sub- 7 stantially the same angle as the abutment or stop 28.

The lever 62 is positioned behind the stop 28 and reaches thereabove. The lever 62 is of any desired length and has secured on its upper end a handle 64. Making the lever 62 long reduces the amount of stooping required in using the tool. I

At the juncture of the lower end of the lever 62 with ,the rear end of the blade 56 is an upstanding substantially semi-circular transversely extending loop 54, through which extends a transverse pivot pin 46 which whose ends extend through the journal loop 42, whereby the blade assembly 14 is pivoted on the skid plate 12 to be swung from an elevated ground engaging starting po sition, wherein the handle 62 engages the rear side of the stop 28, to a depressed operated position, shown in phantom lines in Figure l,v wherein the blade 56 is in an elevated rearwardly declining position. Pins 48 traversing the pin 46 at the outer sides of the loops 42 hold the pin 46 in place.

The forward end of the blade 56 is longitudinally slotted through the forward end 24 to define spaced longitudinal teeth 58 having pointed and sharpened forward ends 60.

The device is used by moving the same forwardly over the ground, with the blade assembly 14 in the elevated full-line position of Figure 1, with the lever 62 engaged with the stop 28, so as to engage the blade teeth 58 with a weed to be pulled. The handle 64 is then depressed to tilt the blade 56 upwardly relative to the plate 12, thereby pulling the weed out of the ground.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed isi 1. In a garden weeding tool, an elongated fiat skid plate having forward and rear ends and side edges, and formed with a longitudinal slot reaching to its forward end, an inverted U-shaped stop comprising a bight portion and depending legs having lower ends secured to the skid plate at opposite sides of said slot at a point intermediate the ends of the skid plate, said stop being at a rearwardly inclined angle to said skid plate, a blade assembly comprising an elongated flat blade having forward and rear ends and being positioned in said slot forwardly of said stop, the forward end of the blade reaching beyond the forward end of the skid plate and having sharpened portions, a straight lever located behind said stop and having a forward end fixed to the rear end' of said blade, and a rear end above said step, said lever being angled upwardly and rearwardly relative to said blade, and pivot means at the juncture of the stop legs with the skid plate and of the blade and the lever pivoting the blade assembly on the skid plate to be swung rom an elevated starting position in which the blade is coplanar with the skid plate and the lever is engaged behind the stop to an operated position in which said lever is depressed rearwardly away from the stop and the blade is elevated above the skid plate at a rearwardly declining angle.

2. In a garden weeding tool, an elongated fiat skid plate having forward and rear ends and side edges, and formed with a longitudinal slot reaching to its forward end, an inverted U-shaped stop comprising a bight portion and depending legs having lower ends secured to the skid plate at opposite sides of said slot at a point intero mediate the ends of the skid plate, said stop being at a I Patented Jam. 13, 1959 ward and rear ends and being positioned in said slot forwardly'of said stop, the forward end of the blade reaching beyond the forward end of the skid plate and having sharpened portions, a straight lever located behind said stop and having a forward end fixed to the rear end" of said blade, and a rear end above said stop, said lever being angled upwardly and rearwardly relative to said' l 4 the blade is elevated above the skid plate at a rearwardly decling angle, said lever beingflat and straight and said pivot means comprising journal loops on the skid plate and the stop legs, a journal loop on the blade assembly, and a transverse pivot pin engaged through the journal loops.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 596,579 Dutton Jan. 4, 1898 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,452 Great Britain June 26, 1884 

